Thermal balance of the mid-latitude F2-region at night

The thermal balance of the plasma in the night-time mid-latitude F2-region is examined using solutions of the steady-state O⁺ and electron heat balance equations. The required concentrations and field-aligned velocities are obtained from a simultaneous solution of the time-dependent O⁺ continuity and momentum equations.The results demonstrate the systematic trend for the O⁺ temperature to be 10–20 K greater than the electron temperature during the night at around 300 km, as observed at St. Santin by Bauer and Mazaudier. It is shown that frictional heating between the O⁺ and neutral gases is the cause of the O⁺ temperature being greater than the electron temperature; the greater the importance of frictional heating in the thermal balance the greater is the difference in the O⁺ and electron temperatures. A study is made of the roles played in the thermal balance of the plasma by the thermal conductivity of the O⁺ and electron gases; collisional heat transfer between O⁺ electrons and neutrals; frictional heating between the O⁺ and neutral gases; and advection and convection due to field-aligned O⁺ and electron motions. The results of the study show that, at around 300 km, electron cooling by excitation of the fine structure of the ground state of atomic oxygen plays a major role in the thermal balance of the electrons and, since the temperature of the ions is little affected by this electron cooling process, in determining the difference between the ion and electron temperatures.     

A three-dimensional equation for the inversion of the zodiacal light brightness integral

A three-dimensional equation for deriving the scattering properties per unit volume of interplanetary space is obtained. The equation is related to the zodiacal light intensity observed from a photometer set in some arbitrary position relative to the zodiacal light symmetry plane.     

Temperature domains in the ionosphere

The non-linear stationary temperature waves (domains) is analysed. The exact analytical solutions of the non-linear equation of the heat conductivity determine the region of existence of such domains and the critical values of plasma parameters, correspond to the increase of the periodical temperature profiles in the plasma. A stationary source of heating (photo-electrons or electric fields) may stimulate the existence of domains, when the power of the source reaches a critical value. Conditions in the F-region of the ionosphere near the equator favour the increase of the domains.     

Spectroscopic observations of winds on Venus: I. Technique and data reduction

We present out methods of measurement and reduction of high-dispersion photographic spectra of Venus. Our preliminary results are consistent with slow direct or no rotation at the level we sample, and disagree strongly with a 4-day retrograde rotation. A serious systematic error, which affects much published work, is due to blending of solar lines in the sky with those reflected from the planet. This always tends to produce a spurious retrograde “rotation.” Only data obtained in a dark sky, or daytime observations from which the sky lines have been accurately subtracted, can be relied upon. All such data give low wind speeds.     

Model for the onset of a magnetospheric substorm

In view of observations which show that a substorm often begins in a small local time sector, a model is assumed in which the neutral sheet current is diverted around a small region we call a bubble. The simplest assumption is that of a linear variation of current with distance from the centre of the bubble in the x-direction in a SM coordinate system, with the diverted current being channelled within narrow paths of width δ_y on the dawn and dusk sides of the bubble. This assumption leads to vector potential integrals that can be evaluated analytically. The addition of this current loop into the magnetotail results in a magnetic field structure where new neutral lines of X- and 0-type can be observed; these are connected to each other as a continuous neutral ring in the xy equatorial plane. The magnetic and electric field components around the neutral regions are calculated, and the time dependent evolution of the neutral ring is studied. Comparison with some published satellite observations shows good agreement. Taking typical values for the various quantities on the basis of actual observations within the magnetotail, we show that the induced electric field is at least comparable to the average cross-tail electrostatic field, and it may well be one or two orders of magnitude greater. The response of the plasma to the induction field is discussed qualitatively. It is concluded that field aligned currents may be produced due to inertial forces of the expanding disturbance. Interpretation of the ground based precipitation patterns of energized particles during auroral breakup is given.     

A dipole field model for axisymmetric alfvén waves with finite ionosphere conductivities

An axisymmetric model for approximate solution of the magnetospheric Alfvén wave problem at latitudes above the plasmapause is proposed, in which a realistic dipole geometry is combined with finite anisotropic ionosphere conductivities, thus bringing together various ideas of previous authors. It is confirmed that the axisymmetric toroidal and poloidal modes interact via the ionospheric Hall effect, and an approximate method of solution is suggested using previously derived closed solutions of the uncoupled wave equations.A solution for zero Hall conductivity is obtained, which consists of sets of independent shell oscillations, regardless of the magnitude of the Pedersen conductivity. One set reduces to the classical solutions for infinite Pedersen conductivity, while another predicts a new set of harmonics of a quarter-wave fundamental, with longer eigenperiods than the classical solutions for a given L-shell.     

Interplanetary energy flux associated with magnetospheric substorms

It is shown that the interplanetary quantity ε(t), obtained by Perreault and Akasofu (1978), for intense geomagnetic storms, also correlates well with individual magnetospheric substonns. This quantity is given by $\text{ε(t) = VB}{}^2\text{sin}{}^4\text{(}\text{θ}\text{2}\text{)l}{}_{\mathrm{o}}{}^2$, where V and B denote the solar wind speed and the magnitude of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), respectively, and θ denotes the polar angle of the IMF; l_o is a constant ? 7 Earth radii. The AE index is used in this correlation study. The correlation is good enough to predict both the occurrence and intensity of magnetospheric substonns observed in the auroral zone, by monitoring the quantity ε(t) upstream of the solar wind.     

Convective collapse of flux tubes

Flux tubes of constant extending vertically through the solar convection zone are unstable to a convective instability if the surface field strength is less than 1270 G. By downward displacement of matter along the tube an unstable tube can transform into a new equilibrium state with lower energy which has a higher field strength. Numerical calculations of these collapsed states are presented. If the collapse starts in a field with a strength corresponding to equipartition with kinetic energy in the convection zone, it yields a surface field strength of about 1650 G. It is proposed that the small scale magnetic field in active regions consists of such tubes. The collapsed state is not in thermal equilibrium. In the deeper layers the heat exchange following the collapse is very slow but the surface layers return rapidly to temperature equilibrium. It is argued that during the gradual thermal evolution of the collapsed state its surface layers may start an overstable oscillation. A brightness-velocity correlation in this oscillation could account for the observed downdraft in the tubes.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

Continuation of periodic orbits: Three-dimensional circular restricted to the general three-body problem

It is proved that a periodic orbit of the three-dimensional circular restricted three-body problem can be continued analytically, when the mass of the third body is sufficiently small, to a periodic orbit of the three dimensional general three-body problem in a rotating frame. The above method is not applicable when the period of the periodic orbit of the restricted problem is equal to 2k (k any integer), in the usual normalized units. Several numerical examples are given.     

Photoelectric study of the δ Scuti star HR 1225

The periodogram analysis of theV observations of the Scuti star HR 1225 has been carried out. Two frequencies of 6.415 cd (P ₀=0 _. ^d 1558) and 8.418 cd (P ₁=0 _. ^d 1188) have been determined. The period ratio ofP ₁/P ₀=0.762 indicates radial pulsation. The absolute magnitude, effective temperature and mass of the star are derived to be 1 _. ^m 05, 7600 K and 1.9M , respectively.